30 Women Recall the Moment They Knew Their Marriage Was Over

When it's done . . . it's done, and you just feel it. When a bad marriage has finally reached its expiration date, you know it's time to pack it in. I spoke to 30 women who shared with me the moment that they knew: this marriage is done. For good. From drug use to affairs, each reason was the tipping point that led to divorce.

01
Sick, Pregnant, and Alone
Unsplash | freestocks.org

Sick, Pregnant, and Alone

"When I was pregnant and sick with our second son for two months before he was born and my husband came to visit me once. Once. Barely called, too." — Lisa M.

02
Didn't Care If He Came Home From Work
Unsplash | Muhammad Raufan Yusup

Didn't Care If He Came Home From Work

"When I didn't care where he was when he didn't come home from work . . . I knew." — Pat C.

03
Did It All — He Still Complained
Unsplash | Aidan Bartos

Did It All — He Still Complained

"When I realized I did 90 percent of the work in the home, earned 95 percent of the money, paid all the bills, managed child care and food shopping . . . and when I said I was overwhelmed, he told me to try running my own business and see how stressful it is!" — Sue E.

04
Wanted Me to Get Pregnant, Then Asked Me to Abort the Baby
Unsplash | Keenan Constance

Wanted Me to Get Pregnant, Then Asked Me to Abort the Baby

"When he begged me to give him a child because he had none and he was 39. I got pregnant, and he begged me to abort the baby. I found out he has two kids in another state he doesn't see or pay child support to . . . " — Crystal F.

05
Loneliness Was Too Much
Unsplash | Jacob Morrison

Loneliness Was Too Much

"When the loneliness became so painful." — Natalie O.

06
Intense Emotional and Psychological Abuse
Unsplash | Aimee Vogelsang

Intense Emotional and Psychological Abuse

"After years of emotional and psychological abuse and torture . . . I accused him of lying about something (about money, unbeknownst to him) and he admitted his affair. It was my ticket out!" — Rachel L.

08
Proof of Child Abuse
Unsplash | Nick Nice

Proof of Child Abuse

"When I said child protective services came to the house after the school reported his abuse, and he said he didn't have a problem and didn't need help!" — April W.

09
Barely Working
Unsplash | rawpixel.com

Barely Working

"He said 'maybe' he could look for job in a different field, his old field, since he hadn't found any work in his 'aspirational field.' Meanwhile, I was completely supporting us financially and couldn't take time off with our soon-to-be second child." — Danielle T.

10
No Attraction
Unsplash | Krista Mangulsone

No Attraction

"When he told me he fell out of love with me and wasn't attracted to me." — Caren C.

11
He Hit Me
Unsplash | Benjamin Combs

He Hit Me

"When he put his hands on me." — Heather W.

12
Lost Respect
Unsplash | Alex Iby

Lost Respect

"When I lost respect for him." — Maureen B.

13
College Money . . . Poof!
Unsplash | Jonathan Daniels

College Money . . . Poof!

"When he spent the kids' college money." — Jean B.

15
Gambling Problem
Unsplash | Michał Parzuchowski

Gambling Problem

"He was gambling every day while I was pregnant with our second child and supporting him through grad school." — Lauren S.

16
In Rehab Hunting For Another Woman
Unsplash | Osama Saeed

In Rehab Hunting For Another Woman

"When I found out he was trolling for another woman the entire time he was in rehab!" — Jess G.

17
Cringed at His Touch
Unsplash | Dev Benjamin

Cringed at His Touch

"When I cringed at his touch." — Jennifer R.

18
STD
Unsplash | Timothy Paul Smith

STD

"When he gave me an STD." — Adrianna D.

19
Bad Character
Unsplash | Tim Marshall

Bad Character

"When he said his motto was 'deny it to the end.'" — Dawn A.

20
Control Freak
Unsplash | Aldo Delara

Control Freak

"When he accused me of cheating on him when I was texting a girlfriend from work . . . on my birthday." — Dana D.

21
Bringing Drugs Into the Home
Unsplash | Scott Webb

Bringing Drugs Into the Home

"When he said, 'I know you are not OK with me bringing drugs into our home, but you are just going to have to deal with it because it's what I want.'" — Karen W.

22
Hiding Assets
Unsplash | Fabian Blank

Hiding Assets

"When I discovered he was hiding assets and income under phony trusts, including my car that I drove and the house that I live in . . . " — Laura L.

23
Begging to Love Me
Unsplash | Jeremiah Higgins

Begging to Love Me

"When I found myself begging him to love me." — Angela A.

24
No Interest in Our Baby
Unsplash | Chiến Phạm

No Interest in Our Baby

"When he wouldn't hold our newborn daughter." — Sara D.

25
Caught Him With Cocaine
Unsplash | Elti Meshau

Caught Him With Cocaine

"When I caught him red-handed with cocaine." — Christy T.

26
Abandoned Us
Unsplash | Echo Grid

Abandoned Us

"When he just left us and didn't come back." — Hannah R.

27
Absent During Our Pregnancy
Unsplash | freestocks.org

Absent During Our Pregnancy

"When he wasn't around during our pregnancy and when he was, he was mean and abusive." — Lisa G.

28
Cheating With a Younger Woman
Unsplash | Mike Wilson

Cheating With a Younger Woman

"When I caught him with a younger woman." — Cindy B.

29
His Drug Problem
Unsplash | pina messina

His Drug Problem

"When I discovered him doing drugs." — Melissa A.

30
Son Won't Be Like Dad
Unsplash | Jared Sluyter

Son Won't Be Like Dad

"When my 6-year-old son said he would never treat his wife the way his dad treats me." — Dena L.